Understandings
by darklight13
Summary: A not so runofthemill question to a Warlord over a quick bite to eat.


Disclaimer: NOT MINE! (Sob)

Darklight

**Understandings**

Mia put on a burst of speed, running towards the entrance. Heavy footsteps behind her, racing to beat her, possibly to catch her. She grabbed the door handle and yanked it open when just over her shoulder a hand shot past her face and forced the door closed. At that very moment the gutter above her broke sending a stream of water down her body, soaking her to the skin. The resounding laughter behind her sent shivers down her spine, till the day she died she would always remember this laugh. It always reminded her of dark corners and cobwebs.

Looking up into the face of Dais she felt her cheeks grow warm, the heat welcome after the icy shower she just received and the downpour that she was currently standing in the middle of. The thunderstorm had just popped up out of nowhere; she had managed to get out of her car with out getting soaked. Now she was dripping, from everywhere.

She glared up into his flushed face, he was chuckling at her flare of temper. As if she really could scare him. He flashed her a wicked grin and leaned into her face. "Paybacks are hell." He whispered.

The gutter overhead chose to break again this time dropping a section of pipe onto his head and sent a sudden torrent of water to gush down his startled expression. Mia exploded into laughter, looking at his furious expression. "You bet it is!" she managed to get out before collapsing against the building and its relative shelter under the eaves.

He shook his head to clear his one good eye and gave her his best 'I-am-an-evil-Warlord-of-the-Dynasty' look. This just caused her to laugh harder and clutch at her sides. He sighed and reached down to help her to her feet. They were outside a fast food restaurant trying to get a quick bite to eat before picking up Yulie from school. Neither of them had breakfast or lunch and both were starving.

Six months after Talpa's defeat Dais was trying to learn how to maneuver in this new modern world. All of the former warlords were, so far he was the only one that could go out and 'mix' as the others called it. Cale still had trouble with technology and Sekmhet…well he was himself. Kyra was picking it up fairly quickly but she had to deal with a suddenly developing body. Having stopped physically aging at approximately 12 years of age and then the sudden start of that process after the war was wrecking havoc with her hormones and mental processes. Idly Dais wondered if he and the others would suddenly 'start' also. He hoped not.

They had managed to get inside the building just before the rest of the gutter fell and the rain started pouring down in sheets. Mia approached the counter to look at the menu. Dais was right behind her grumbling that he was dripping all over the place. She glanced over at him with a small smile on her face; she looked back up at the menu. She would place her order then go the bathroom to try and dry off. Ordering a Double cheeseburger hold the mustard and ketchup, add mayo and pickles and a medium fry and drink she looked over at Dais, this was his first encounter with American food, he stepped up and looking at the menu ordered a number four large size. He then looked at the girl behind the counter and asked if they would leave off the tomatoes. A quick nod from her and once she was paid they were off to the restrooms.

Fifteen minuets later they were sitting at a booth wolfing down their food. When he had seen the actual French fries he had frowned but said nothing. Mia continued to watch him eat trying to gauge his reaction to the less than traditional meal. "Do I have something on my face?" Mia started slightly and looked down at her food then back up into his eyes…no eye she reminded herself. The illusion he had cast on himself to hide his lost eye was incredibly realistic. The false eye held thoughts and emotions, it sparkled when he was in a good mood and darkened when he was in a foul one.

"No, just was wondering what you thought of American fast food." She replied. He gave a casual shrug and picked up his Quarter Ton Double Cheeseburger. "It's food. How would Cye say it? 'It's olright.'" Mia sniggered at Dais's impersonation of the English accent that Cye could not quite hide. Dais as usual had hit it right on the mark. _Must have something to do with his armor._ Mia mused and turned to her food again.

"What?"

Mia looked up him again surprised. "What, what?" she asked surprised. Dais wiped his hands on a napkin and sat back. "You have that look on your face. You know what look; don't look at me like I'm stupid. You have that 'I-want –to-ask-a-question-but-don't-know-how-to-ask-it' look on your face. So I ask again: What?"

_Damn, he's good._ She thought. Taking a deep breath she organized her thoughts. "Dais…how do you control it? How do you do it?" She gestured towards his face and he understood immediately.

"It isn't something I usually talk about…" he started. "Oh no, I am sorry Dais. I am prying." Shaking his head he broke through her apologies. "Mia, no. That's not what I meant. I normally get a question like 'Why did I become a Warlord' or 'How did I get my armor'. Not how do I control my illusions. This is a first." Mia smiled at him. "Well I figured that you would tell me that in your own time. And besides, there's a first time for everything right?"

He nodded his head and put his hands down on the table. Closing his eyes…eye, trying to gather his thoughts. To explain something he understood intuitively. How to describe something like that? Suddenly he had a comparison.

"It is kind of like faith. You have to believe in the ability to do something before you do it. I have to believe in my own ability to manipulate my illusions. What's more I have to make someone believe in the impossible. My ability to change is my surroundings and appearances of people and objects. I must understand that the illusion I create must conform to reality. But at the same time it doesn't have to conform to all the rules that are out there. This is difficult to explain so bare with me. Take a spider for example, a small harmless spider. I can create this easily, dark brown in color smaller than my thumb nail but it slowly morphs into a black shade, while at the same time it becomes slightly larger, slowly changing to where it is no longer a small harmless spider but a large venom filled creature. This metamorphosis is a slow process; each stage is a fluid and smooth transformation. People are hypnotized by it, it is such an obvious show of change, and each detail is precise. It _looks_ real."

"I think that is what makes so many people vulnerable to my abilities. They believe in what seems real. And in order for me to know what will seem real to people and by default be able to manipulate a person's thoughts to fit a situation, I have to know people. And by knowing people I mean understanding the basic human nature. Humans at their most basic levels want to believe in both the improbable and probable. People want to believe that they are no longer in this violent cruel world. When I create a utopia for people they automatically _know_ it is not real, but at the same time they want to believe it. People continue to see my illusion and interact with them even though they understand that it is not real. People will see and hear what they wish to see and hear. This makes them vulnerable, and I use it. I manipulate people and their actions with my illusions. Like my eye, people want to see a handsome young man with two blue eyes. They want to see an unscarred face, a face that they can appreciate from a distance and not worry about anything-ugly underneath. They just want to see the superficial beauty of a mask, not the imperfections beneath. Likewise on the flipside when I create some of my most hideous visions people don't want to believe in them, but they believe in them nevertheless because I'm bringing some of the basest fears of all of humanity to light. They are so improbable that people believe in them. The illusion is so very real to them. This is what _could be_. I use that fear to bring them down, and crush them."

Dais glanced up at Mia to see if she understood. His speech was a long one and this was really the first time he tried to explain it. In all honesty he hadn't really thought about it much. He just used a tool, an ability of his to do his job. He just hoped she could understand what he was trying to say, to show her.

Mia looked across the table at the former warlord, his words sinking in. She looked closely at his face and saw what everyone else was looking for. A handsome man with beautiful blue eyes, but this time she chose to look past the mask and she saw a man that had seen so much more than her. He was a man with a deep wisdom that came from learning the hard way. She saw the "imperfections" and thought that they made him beautiful.

The door to the outside opened and a flood of screaming children rushed in. Each one begging his or her mother and or father to get them this that or the other. Dais grimaced and glanced over his shoulder at the brats. Sighing Mia glanced at her watch and began to gather their trash.

Dais gave a rueful smile "And as a reminder, there is another screaming brat we seem to have forgotten about. Shall we go get your ward?"

"He is not a screaming brat. If anything he is better behaved than the guys." Mia came to Yulie's defense.

"Oh really? I don't recall you being there at that temple, standing on the roof with the whelp in your arms squalling like a newborn baby. In all honesty I think he gave me more bruises than the Ronins did, he kicks like a horse."

"Well what did you expect? For the poor boy to just quietly and meekly allow you to use him as bait? I don't think so! Besides, I doubt you were all that gentle with him either!"

They made their way back outside where the rain had abated some and went and picked up a wet and whiny child. After their return to the house Mia caught Dais's sleeve inside the foyer after Yulie had taken his shoes off and trudged upstairs to change clothes.

"Dais?"

He looked down at her, waiting.

"Thank you. I think I understand." He nodded with a small smile. "And Dais? You don't have to hide behind masks, at least not around me. I like you the way you are."

With that she stood up on tiptoes a kissed his cheek, right below his missing eye. Turning she made her way into the kitchen to help Cye out with dinner. Dais remained where he was. Touching his cheek he smiled, it was nice to be understood.


End file.
